Italian Burgundy Wine Sweet Bread

This is my all time best recipe! Try it and it will become a favorite of yours too. I found this more years ago than I care to remember in a magazine. It's a very rare kind of recipe that you don't come across too often.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 3 loaves

Ingredients

• 2  cups raisins
• 1  cup butter
• 1  cup shortening
• 2  cups sugar
• 3  eggs
• 4  cups  sifted flour
• 4  teaspoons  cocoa
• 4  teaspoons baking soda
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon allspice
• 1  teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 1⁄2 cups Burgundy wine
• 2  cups  chopped  nuts

Directions

1. Place raisins in cold water and bring to boil, then drain.
2. Measure raisins after draining.
3. Cream butter, sugar and shortening.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with wine.
6. (Batter will turn a grayish color- no problem, it looks normal when baked).
7. Stir in raisins and nuts.
8. Bake in 3 greased and floured 9x5x3 loaf pans at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
9. Cool in pans 10 minutes before turning out to cool on wire racks.
10. Just before serving, sift powdered sugar over top of bread.
11. Note: I like to bake these in mini foil pans (cooking time will need to be adjusted) and use them as a part of my cookie tray to give to friends at Christmas.